Abstract: Purple soils developed from sandstone were selected to study effects and mechanism of various ecological practices on runoff coefficient and soil erosive modulus over different slope in subtropical hilly region, China. The results indicated that, compared to the corresponding bare fallow land, the soil erosion modulus for the lands of terrace cultivation, contour-cultivation, bayberry and grass recovery with a 5°slope decreased by 10%, 18%, 37% and 94%; the runoff coefficient and soil erosive modulus for lands of terrace cultivation, locust, maple and jujube wood with a 10° slope decreased by 7%-60% and 15%-86%, whilst increased by 30% and 77% for vine tea land with removal vegetation below; the corresponding values for grass restoration land combining with check dam decreased by 30% and 40%, respectively. The conversion from slope cultivation to terrace, contour-cultivation, developments of economic or soil and water conservation forest could reduce soil and water erosion below 10°slope, but measures to reduce disturbances on the soil and increase the immediate soil coverage should be practiced; while growing grass or vegetation restoration plus check dam, could prevent soil and water erosion in a high slope (15°). Erosive modulus of the purple soils was exponentially correlative to the runoff coefficient (R2=0.73-0.98, P<0.01), implying that runoff coefficient can be used to indicate and evaluate the soil erosion for such soil.